House of Welcome Staff Member Brea Murakami plays the guitar during a Mind Matters music therapy session.

House of Welcome Staff Member Brea Murakami plays the guitar during a Mind Matters music therapy session. (Posted By North Shore Senior Center, Community Contributor)

Posted By North Shore Senior Center, Community Contributor

North Shore Senior Center is pleased announce that its Mind Matters Program has won the MetLife Foundation 2014 MindAlert Award. Part of the programming offered by House of Welcome Adult Day Services, Mind Matters addresses the needs of people with mild cognitive impairment or early dementia. The program includes cognitive activities that “exercise” the brain, socialization and bonding with peers, and a variety of art, music and dance therapies.

The MindAlert Award recognizes innovative community-based, nonprofit programs that help maintain cognitive fitness in older adults. Applicants were required to describe the innovative features of the program and demonstrate its basis in research. They also had to outline the program’s impact on the cognitive abilities of older adults and detail the program’s potential for replication by other organizations. Applicants were also required to explain how the program addresses cultural, racial, ethnic or geographically diverse older adult audiences.

North Shore Senior Center Executive Director Jordan Luhr said that the award was in keeping with the standards of excellence embraced by the organization as a whole. “North Shore Senior Center strives to provide the highest quality to all those we serve,” he said. “This award is a testament to the quality of this program and the staff who run the House of Welcome and all of its services.”

The MindAlert Award will be presented at the American Society on Aging’s national education conference in San Diego at the National Brain Health Forum on Saturday, March 15, 2014. House of Welcome staff members Barb Brandt and Julie Lamberti will attend to speak about the Mind Matters program and accept the award on behalf of North Shore Senior Center.

The Mind Matters program is made possible in part by the support of the Martin and Mary L. Boyer Foundation. To learn more about the Mind Matters program, please call the House of Welcome at 847.242.6250.